AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2009 > February > 03
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
New feature: Who is watching
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The NHL trade deadline is a month from Wednesday, so we’re starting a new feature on this blog: Who’s watching? We’ll tell you who has scouts/front office people in the building each time the Thrashers play from here to the deadline.
Tonight’s installment: Red Wings, Maple Leafs, Coyotes, Ducks (two people), Canadiens, Predators. GM Don Waddell is in attendance for Atlanta. He or assistant GM Larry Simmons is on hand every time the Thrashers play.
Other news: Tonight’s lineup looks the same as it was Saturday at Carolina, with Erik Christensen and Boris Valabik as healthy scratches and Kari Lehtonen your starting goaltender. Garnet Exelby might also be considered a healthy scratch now that he has been cleared to play, but if you read the blog yesterday you knew he wasn’t going to play tonight.
Though the personnel aren’t changing tonight, other things might. Assistant coach Steve Weeks played a major role in running Monday’s practice, and that’s not typical for this season, in which Todd Nelson and Randy Cunneyworth have taken much more prominent positions on the staff.
Were I smarter, I would have spoken with Mathieu Schneider today about his former Rangers teammate Adam Graves, whose jersey is being retired tonight. I didn’t, but you’ll see some comments from Schneider on tonight’s telecast. The game starts at 8 p.m. because of the Graves ceremony, which they are rehearsing as I type this.
Also, be looking for an upcoming story on Zach Bogosian on NHL.com. They did the interviews today; I think the story will hit their Web site next week.
There is a blizzard outside.
